Cork-sole shoe



(No Model.)

G. Hi. GII'FORD.`

CORK SOLE SHOE.

No. 541,999. Patented July 2, 1895..

Usrrrsn Sterns baroni Garten,

GEORGE H. GIFFORD, OF BROCKTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

CORK-SOLE SHOE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patenty No. 541,999, dated July 2, 1895.

Application tiled November 9| 1893. Serial No. 490.410. (No model.)

To all whom may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. GIFFORD, residing in Brockton, in the county of llymouth and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvementin Cork-Sole Shoes, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters and figures on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to shoes of that class commonly called corksole shoes, in which a cork sole or other lling-sole is interposed between the outer and inner soles of the shoe.

In cork-sole shoes as now commonlyconstructed and known to me the cork-sole welt, consisting of a Iilling-strip and a casing of leather inclosing the same, is secured n to the inner sole by two seams or rows of stitching sewed in two separate channels 0f the inner sole of the shoe, the filling of the cork-sole welt and onehalf of its casing being attached to the upper and in ner sole by one seam made in one channel, and the other half of the cork- Welt casing and the main welt being secured by a second seam made in the second channel of the innersole. In the above construction, after the lirst seam above referred to has been sewed, the cork-welt casing does not envelop the filling, but one edge projects from the edge of the inso1e,`or that portion thereof 1 to which the cork is applied,forming a Hap,

so called, which must be lasted over the filling.

The cork-sole shoe made as above described is objectionable in that the main welt is se cured to the inner sole by a single seam made in the second channel of the inner sole, which` second channel is much smaller than the first channel, and as aresult the main welt is insecurely attached to the inner sole of the shoe. The construction above referred to is further objectionable in that it involves, in the process of making, a second lasting operation, which is necessarily slow and expensive.

This invention has for its object to remove the objections above cited and to provide a cork-sole shoe of increased strength and durability which can be made on shoe-sewing machines as now constructed without change to the machine or without the use of auxiliary tools or implements. j

In accordance with this invention the corksole welt, consisting of a filling and an inclosing-case of leather for the same, may be prepared before being applied to the shoe, and

Yner sole.

`folds of the cork-welt casing, the cork-Welt lilling, the upper, and the channel of the in- By reason of the cork-sole welt being attached to the inner sole by two seams or rows of stitching made in the same channel of the inner sole the lnain Welt and the cork-sole welt are more firmly attached tothe upper and inner sole, which results in the making of a stronger and more durable shoe ofthe class described. The channel in which both seams or rows of stitching are made will preferably be made of such depth as to aord increased holding-surface for the main welt and the cork-sole welt. By the position of the seams which secure the cork-sole welt to the lasted upper and insole I am enabled to appiy the finished cork-sole welt lto the shoe and to avoid the lasting operation hereinbefore referred to and essential in the construction of cork-sole shoes as heretofore made. By applying the finished cork-sole welt to the shoe I secure a neater and more finished appearance of the cork-sole welt than can be secured Where said welt is manufactured upon the shoe, as in the prior art. By securing the cork-sole welt and the main welt to the inner sole by two seams or rows of stitching made inthe same channel of the inner sole a half-cork-sole welt can be made on shoe-sewing machines as nowcommonly constructed. j

My invention therefore consists in a boot or shoe having a main Welt and a cork-sole welt secured to the inner sole by two seams or rows of stitching made in the same channel of the inner sole, and the process of making the same, as hereinafter more specifically set forth and claimed.

Figure l represents in elevation a cork-sole shoe provided with what is known as a Ihalfcork welt and embodying this invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. l, showing the cork-sole welt se- ICO cured to the inner sole before the main welt is attached to the said inner sole, the outersole, the main welt, and the cork lling being omitted in this gure; Fig. 3, a sectional detail on an enlarged scale, showing the main welt secured to the inner sole by a second seam made in the same channel as the seam which secures the cork-sole welt to the inner sole; and Fig. 4, a sectional detail, on an enlarged scale, of' one-half of the completed shoe with the outer sole attached to the main welt and the cork filling interposed between the inner and outer soles.

Siinilarletters and figures of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The shoe A, represented in Fig. 1 as a Congress shoe provided with a halfcork sole, is made in accordance with this invention in the following manner: The inner sole a is attached to the last a', and the upper a2 is stretched over and secured to the inner sole a in any suitable manner, such as now commonlypracticed. Theinnersoleais provided with a channel a3, which may be and conveniently is the usual channel found in the insole of weltshoes.

In accordance with this invention the inner sole a has secured to it a cork-sole welt comprising a filling Z9 and a casing b, folded over the same, so as to envelop the said filling.

In accordance with this invention the corksole welt may be prepared before being applied to the inner sole, which is effected by folding the casing b over the filling b, and when thus made the cork-sole weltis secured to the upper a2 and to the inner sole ct by a seam or row of stitching b2, which passes through the lower fold 2 of the casing b', the filling b, the upper fold 3 of the casing, the upper a2,and through the inner sole into the channel a3. The cork-sole welt may be secured by the seam or row of stitching b2 on shoe-sewing machines as now commonly constructed Without change or addition to the machine.

After the cork-sole Welt has been secured to the upperand inner sole, as above described, the main Welt c (shown in Figs. 3 and 4) is then secured to the inner sole by a second seam or roW of stitching c', which extends through the main welt c, the lower fold 2 of the casing b', the filling b, the upper fold 8 of the casing t h', the uppera2, and inner sole a into the channel 0.3, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4. It Will thus be seen that the cork-sole Welt and the main welt are secured by two 'seams or rows of stitching made in the same channel a3 of the inner sole, and as a result the corksole weltand the main welt are firmly attached to the upper and inner sole, thereby greatly strengthening this class of shoes. The shoe may be completed by attaching theouter sole cl to the main welt c by the seam d in the usual manner, the cork filling d2 being interposed between the outer sole and the inner sole, as represented in Fig. 4.

Cork-sole shoes made in accordance with this invention can be produced much cheaper than those now commonly made, owing to the .fact that the cork-sole welt; can be prepared before being applied to a shoe and by reason of the fact that the cork-welt shoe may be inadeon shoe-sewing machines as now commonly constructed. The channel a3 made in the inner sole c may and preferably will be the usual channel commonly formed in inner soles, and it will be noticed that both seams h2 c pass through a considerable portion of the inner sole, which affords the greater holding-surface for the seams, and consequently increases the strength of the shoe.

I have shown in the drawings the second channel a, hereinbefore referred to as essential in prior art, but which I dispense with. The position of said channel a4 with reference to theinseams c and b2 as it appears upon ,the drawings is sufficient to show that it performs no function in my construction and is unnecessary therein. I wish, however, to call attention to the fact that, since I make no use of the channel a4, I am enabled to dispense with the lip a5 by which said second channel is commonly formed, and therefore to' apply my cork-sole welt to an inner sole formed with a shoulder, so called, instead of a lip,7 a construction of insole very desirable and commonly found in tine grades, especially of womens Work.

I am aware of the state of the art as shown in Letters Patent to Des Lauries,No.1125,598, dated April 15, 1890; Drey, No. 496,822, dated May 2, 1893, and Brooks, No. 152,067, dated June 16, 1874, and I `claim nothing as shown or described therein.

I claiml. As an improved article of manufacture, a boot or shoe having an insole, a welt, an interposed cork sole Welt, and two inseams stitched in the same channel in the insole whereby the welt and cork sole Welt are secured thereto, substantially as described.

2. The process of making cork sole boots or shoes consisting of stitching the finished cork sole Welt to the lasted insole and ripper, then stitching the welt through the cork sole welt to the lasted insole and upper, then stitching the outsole tothe welt in the usual manner, substantially as described.

3. The process'of making cork sole boots and shoes consisting of stitching the cork sole welt to a channel in the insole after the upper has been lasted thereto, then stitching the Welt through the cork sole we lt to the same channel in the insole, then stitching the outsole to the welt inthe usual manner, substaul tially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE H. GIFFORD. Witnesses:

JAS. H. CHURCHILL, J. MURPHY.

ICO

IIO 

